The SACP welcomes the passing of the Broadcasting Amendments Bill by Parliament today.

This indeed is a victory for democracy, the majority of our people and the true champions of freedom of press. The passing of the Bill has provided an opportunity for us to now put behind us the shenanigans of the current board so that we can focus on real issues of the transformation of the public broadcaster.

We would like to reiterate our call to the current illegitimate board members to do the honorable thing and resign. This board has not enjoyed any legitimacy in the eyes of the majority of our people since it was imposed on the ANC component of the portfolio committee by some of the past ANC leaders.

We call on the NCOP and the President to move swiftly in passing and enacting the bill so that we can now focus on the real bussiness at the SABC. This should be a lesson that institutions meant to serve the public, and not least the public broadcaster, are not instruments of political gimmick by the elite and those in power.

Statement issued by the SACP August 14 2008